Vesta is a great spot. We went there for valentine's day dinner and it delivered a meal with good food, service, and atmosphere. FOOD: I got a pretty basic salad and a side of mashed potatoes. My partner got the scallops. Both were perfectly good. DRINKS: we both enjoyed a Valentine's special drink (champagne with other ingredients, which we opted to forgo) which was very well priced. SERVICE: friendly and efficient. Our server did a great job while also being the perfect amount of friendly. AMBIANCE: perfect for casual or a more upscale outing! read more

New menu items since our last visit! Huge portions I had "deconstructed " lasagna which was very tasty and not too spicy . Huge filet is expensive but worth it: quality beef and cooked exactly as ordered. Wedge salad is enough for two to share Save room for scrumptious bread pudding Back of restaurant less noisy than front Extensive wine list and moderate price house wines. read more

Best Dinner spot in Coralville! Great atmosphere and service. Michelle is an amazing bartender that makes great cocktails. Every dish we had was phenomenal. I would highly recommend the teriyaki salmon and fat kids plate. If you are looking for a good quality dinner, stop by vesta and you won't be disappointed. read more

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Amazing Service from Jake! Food is fantastic! The tomato bisque was delicious. The Cod fillet was amazing! Would buy that most of the time. Also their coffee is really good and strong. Need to request it stronger if you like it that way. Atmosphere is very cozy in the booth area. Excellent place to go! You can spend a little or a lot but that's up to you. read more

Popped in on a Thursday night for dinner. Got in our drink orders and checked out the menu. Quite a variety of options! My wife settled in the Beet Salad with Shrimp and I got the Island Chicken sandwich. My sandwich was very good. Had a bit of a curry flavor (I'd have been ok with more, but probably plenty for most people!). It was a big burger, and the Pasta Salad was great. My wife's salad was good-the mixed greens leaned very heavily toward iceberg lettuce, but the rest I'd the salad's toppings were great. They took the tails off the shrimp before it arrived at the table; she likes that. Nice wine selection with slightly higher than expected pricing, but cocktail pricing was quite reasonable. Great service, and fresh, hot food-good dinner. read more

Vesta - Island Chicken Burger - New American Near Me - Coralville, Iowa

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Our family recently booked the private dining room at Vesta to welcome a new family member. The server was excellent and very attentive. The menu had a good variety of options, and the food was delicious. The room was decorated for the holidays and had a wonderful atmosphere. Would highly recommend using Vesta for a private group dining experience. read more

Vesta is an IRL mainstay-- having been around for over a decade. It's open Tuesday-Saturday. The menu isn't robust by any means and is largely Mediterranean-inspired serving up other bites that are Greek and Italian influence. It features appetizers, sandwiches, wraps, salads, soup, entrees and pizza. We popped in on a Thursday and despite the Iowa High School State Volleyball tournament going on at Xtreme Arena, the place was empty! Our waitress was newer (admittedly) but very attentive and kind. We started with the Ahi Tuna Crisps-- yum. Four crisps came out so this didn't an appetizer for a larger group. I got the Vulcan shrimp wrap-- a staff favorite. As well as Vesta's signature soup: Iowa Bacon Corn Chowder. The wrap was light and bright-- the chowder had some seriously thick bacon in it. I was a happy camper. (The wraps are HUGE! And do not come with a side, FYI.) Overall-- parking is a non issue. Pricing seems on par, though I was sad to see at 5 on a Thursday there was no happy hour? As I mentioned staff was great. Also, during the summer Vesta boasts a pretty large patio. I've heard the time to go is Wednesdays for wine and pizza. While I didn't have pizza this time, their open kitchen boasts a huge oven and there is some sort of special. The IRL has a lot of rad spots to dine. Vesta is the closest option to the Hyatt and is great for large groups, as they have a private dining spot. I know I'll be back to try their Elk Ruben, so pop in! read more

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Fantastic evening, fantastic meal. Just starting to "open up" again after the pandemic (mid 2022), we grabbed an outdoor table just a bit before sunset on a "just right" evening. Our well-behaved mini-aussie was welcome (we called first), with water served to her as well. My spouse and I split an elk reuben, a greek salad, and shared a beer tasting. Service was marvelous, especially given we were one of a very few outside, with a perfect amount of attention and conversation with the server. We were traveling the northern midwest and were asked by the server, "Why Coralville, IA?" - Answer by us: "We like quirky things, so had to see 'the future birthplace of James T Kirk'" (just a bit south of Coralville) That started a lovely conversation, a lovely meal, and a fantastic evening. read more

Vesta - Half an elk reuben, greek salad, and a beer tasting. - New American Near Me - Coralville, Iowa

Two things stand out! The service and the food! The decor promotes a university town feeling. The patio is very large. My tenderloin was perfect in all respects. But the fav of the evening was my server . Enjoy read more

As usual, I had a wonderful meal and drink at Vesta! I had not been to Vesta for a while due to the pandemic and I was worried they might have lost their touch, but that was Not the case. I went try my go-to Vest Burger and it did not disappoint. I can tell it is freshly made (not a patty from the freezer) and practically melts in the mouth. The flavors of blue cheese, fried onions, and sauce on top are perfection. The fries were crisp and hot and I wish I had even more! Any drink you get there will be great, especially a cocktail. I got a Back Porch Lemonade to enjoy on the patio outside. The staff is great and always attentive. I find Vesta to be consistently good. read more

Vesta - New American Near Me - Coralville, Iowa

Came for a graduation dinner and it was delish! A more casual, but still nice and celebratory meal! I wish they had more on the menu and my dish wasn't my fav but everyone else loved their food! read more

10/10. I would NOT recommend. The bartender Melanie - was a person not at all to be enjoyed. She was so dismissive and rude/nasty. The food is subpar at best. If you don't know what a Wellington, hummus or Elk should taste like. You will think you are having a great meal. Disappointed, tried it because of the reviews-but felt I should share. Great location-good looking space. But, your dollars are best spent elsewhere read more

First time in last night. I initially made the reservation because it appeared they had crab cakes on their menu which is what I wanted. I was disappointed but figured I'd give other options on the menu a try. We ordered the beef Wellington steak bites as our appetizer. They were good and quite different. After ours arrived at the table, I quickly saw that their beef Wellington steak bite appetizers were a highly popular item. For my main dish, I wanted to order the mahi mahi dish but the red bell pepper sauce deterred me only because I have an intolerance to them. Instead, I ordered the beef tenderloin with mushroom risotto, asparagus and Gruyère cheese. The steak was tender as expected. The Gruyère wax a bit overpowering for the dish where I felt like that's all I was eating- just in different textures. My partner ordered the 10oz sirloin which was cooked nicely and tasted good and came with a baked potato and asparagus. We were greeted by what I can only guess was the manager in a very welcoming manner and seated promptly. Our server seemed to be having bad day. I get it, we've all been there. Perhaps that contributed to her demeanor and lack of engagement. She was limping around a bit so I know how pain can affect a person. The restaurant filled quickly. Our reservation was for 6pm and by the time we were done with our first drink, the place was filled and bustling with people. They have a nice and large outdoor patio which looked inviting as well. Didn't have room for dessert after the large meal we had. I might consider trying Vesta out again. It was good, I just wasn't wowed. read more

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Yelp asked "what could be improved"......everything. *Let's just start with the service. They sat us down to our reserved table and somehow thought we were with another group, so we just sat there until one of the waitresses finally noticed that we didn't have drinks or anything. The bartender did come up, apologized and said they were short staffed and offered to give us our first round of drinks on them. For that, I added a star!! *Let's move on to the ambience. Not packed at all, so I don't understand why the service wasn't on par but it just must've been an off night. *Lastly, let's go over the food. I ordered the beef tenderloin and that was a HUGE "mis-steak"! I actually had to spit out the first bite because I knew I couldn't chew on it and somehow get it down. That doesn't happen with a filet!! It should be the most tender and fat-free piece of beef....DEFINITELY not the case!!! That was not a filet or at the very least, it was the shittiest filet I've ever gotten and not something I've even cooked with. Not to mention that the entire plate was watery and they served broccoli, as opposed to the asparagus that it was supposed to come with. My daughter's burger was ordered medium and came out rare and ended up scooping out the middle, due to the fact that it was basically raw in the middle. The other entrees, as I was told, were ok, just not great and definitely not worth the money we were spending! Second time I've been there in 3 weeks and there have been issues both times. My suggestion, get a pizza there and you'll be happy but venture away from that and you're on your own. Hopefully, they figure it out because I used to totally love this place....which is why I chose it this time as my "birthday dinner", but now I have to reconsider my decisions. read more

We were staying at the Druy Inn and we wanted to grab a late lunch, and I found VESTA from other Yelpers. The menu is rather small. The place was empty! We started out with the corn chowder soup...very good. My husband had the chicken piccata.. their version is quite different than a traditional one. Theirs iserved in a tomato marinara sauce, on penne pasta. My husband said it was OK...not great. I had the Mahi Mahi. The piece of fish was a bit dry...but the quinoa was fantastic!! It had sweet potatoes and turnips and parsnips...which I don't usually eat, but it was very flavorful! Service was ok.. I think his name was Jake. read more

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Classy place for lunch in a cute up and coming neighborhood. Stopped here on a cross country road trip and enjoyed the variety on the menu. Options for vegetarians too. Not super fast (table service and server) but friendly and competent service. Very clean. read more

Vesta - Chips and salsa - New American Near Me - Coralville, Iowa

Wanted to try a place we both have never been to, so tried Vesta. I didn't pay much attention to the inside of the restaurant because we went straight to the patio. It's large, covered, and the view isn't bad. I was a little confused on the menu - there doesn't seem to be a real theme besides a little bit of everything. Chips and salsa, Mediterranean dishes, pork spring rolls, pizza, Elk Rueben - all over the place. The waiter was great at letting us know popular dishes and what he liked. I went with the Mushroom Lover Pizza and he went with the Chicken Picatta. We both really enjoyed the meals. I think if the mushrooms would have been sliced instead of whole the pizza would have been easier to eat. It was on a thin crispy crust. The Chicken Picatta was different than I've had before. The sauce was more tomato based and had penne pasta and not the sting flavors or garlic, lemon, and capers. He said it was good though. It was not very busy for a Thursday evening based on other patios in the area. Unsure if I'll try this place again, but the food didn't disappoint. read more

Vesta - Mushroom Lovers Pizza - New American Near Me - Coralville, Iowa

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We made dinner reservations several hours in advance on a Saturday evening. Certainly advisable, but there appeared to be a fair amount of seating available when we arrived as well. We parked in the public lot at the end of the block, but my dad was luckier and got a metered street spot a little closer. We were seated next to the kitchen which was a little distracting, especially with some sort of compressed air tool running out of sight? Our server was friendly albeit a little absent, which he said was because we were "engaging ourselves" and he didn't want to interrupt... fine, but that left us on our own too long at times as he was also seating and serving other tables. As for the food, it was very mixed reviews. We started with charcuterie and chips and salsa for an appetizer. Charcuterie mix was yummy, but the "salsa" was marinara sauce. Entrees were similarly hit or miss. Matt and I really enjoyed our dishes - NY strip and pork loin - but my dad's piccata was a disaster and my nana wasn't wowed by the walleye. Craving a little something sweet, we finished up with the dessert trio. All three were decent, though the topping on the cobbler could've very well been instant oatmeal and got a thumbs down from the table. Overall not a poor experience, but underwhelming for the price. Sounds like this was a pretty typical experience of Vesta (my first time, but my family had been here many times) so don't think we would return again. read more

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We elected to meet good friends of ours at Vista for an early Tuesday evening dinner. We chose Vista after reviewing their menu online. Our order ranged from the Mahi Mahi, Ahi Tuna Salad, Chicken Picatta and the Salmon BLT sandwich. The portions were more than generous and equally delicious. One item, the Chicken Picatta was a bit spicy as judged by our friend, but she tolerates no spice at all. I tried it and found it to be mild in spiciness. The bread pudding dessert was massive and could easily be shared. It was also delicious! I don't think you could go wrong in choosing Vesta for a great dining experience. read more

The food was great and service was quick! I had won a gift card to go Vesta over a year ago and finally used it today. I wish I lived closer so I could come here more often! Great restaurant! I ordered off their special menu for the weekend and they gave us a free dessert for being the first customer to order a special! read more

Vesta - Ahí Tuna Crisps - New American Near Me - Coralville, Iowa

Excellent service, wonderful decor, unfortunately the goulash that I had there last night was the worst I've ever had. it was dry and the noodles were hard and burnt. I should have known I was going to have an issue when I ordered it to go and it took over an hour. read more

Highly recommend! Had dinner with our daughter before attending a Hawkeye basketball game. Great atmosphere with extraordinary service and amazing food. A nice variety of options for different preferences. read more

My husband and I had the best service !!!! Foood was amazing Will be returning again The margarita pizza was so fresh .. the tomatoes melted in my mouth 100% recommend read more

I don't feel moved to give many places reviews but I had a great meal here. I was on the fence about ordering an entree because I was dining alone and thought it might be too extravagant but now I'm glad I pampered myself a little bit. The beef tenderloin was perfectly prepared. Even the asparagus was crisp tender. It is easier to ruin a good cut of meat then to treat it perfectly but this chef knows how to do things right. The truffle risotto was a bit on the salty side but I could have had a glass of wine to remedy that. I have been in Iowa nearly a week and this was a stand out meal. I hope I have enough time to come back and sample more of their menu. The service was also outstanding. They could have ignored me but I got the same excellent service as any larger party. Thank you Vesta! read more

Vesta - New American Near Me - Coralville, Iowa

This is a very nice and pretty new venue in the coralville area. Easy access off of interstate 80. Large, bright and airy inside with a hipster vibe. The menu is New American with a Mediterranean flair. Some of the dishes are very spicy and there's no indication of that on the menu so be sure to ask your server if you are worried about heat in the food. We were a party of five and service was excellent, and everyone enjoyed their food selections. Prices are a little steep, $15 range for burgers and high twenties for most entrees. As always my rating system is three stars for restaurants to which I would return, four stars for restaurants at which I would like to be a regular, and five stars for those to which I would drive out of my way. read more

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Stopped in around 8pm after a long day at work. Was quickly greeted and seated by the staff. Teagan was my waitress and she did an excellent job of answering my questions about the menu. I settled on the chips and salsa to start. The salsa was tasty without being overpowering. You can add queso, which I probably will do next time. For the entree I had the Elk Stroganoff. I was hesitant at first, but took the chance and it was excellent. The whole experience from beginning to end was outstanding. I definitely recommend and definitely will return. read more

I was very excited to try out Vesta as I loved the variety of the menu online. Walking in the outside looks very modern, but then inside seemed a little aged. The menu was fabulous - so me good sounding entrees. We tried their spicy shrimp appetizer (very very good). For my entree I went with the salmon BLT - salmon was cooked perfectly and topped with crispy bacon. My only suggestion is serving on a ciabatta roll as the sourdough bread was flimsy and became soggy. My BLT was served with a hearty serving of pasta salad - also flavorful! The hubs had the chicken piccata and enjoyed it as well - just felt the chicken portion could have been a little bigger. Great dinner with unique options! read more

Vesta - Salmon BLT with pasta salad - New American Near Me - Coralville, Iowa

It's a very good place to just hang out at the bar. They have high top table options along with regular tables. Few of the amazing cocktail options makes up for the location. The place is very close to University of Iowa downtown and next to the Coralville Mariott. Their black bean and cumin soup is one of a kind. The restaurant is kinda pricy considering the location. However, the food options are great. read more

Vesta - New American Near Me - Coralville, Iowa

If you're looking for a warm cooked meal, when in Iowa City, IA., I highly recommend VESTA located at the Iowa River Landing. close to Von Maur. I had the Margarita Pizza and my husband the Vulcan Shrimp Wrap. If you want to eat healthy & watching your weight, you will love the Pizza. The Shrimp Wrap was to die for! We also indulged in their Crème Brûlée. OMG! You will not be disappointed, Oh So Good! Check out the menu, very friendly staff and reasonably priced. P.S. - Great list of drinks also! read more

I just head the blackened tuna salad and my husband had the Mahi Mahi. Both entrees were outstanding! The vegetables that accompanied the Mahi Mahi were a dish unto themselves: Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, and parsnips were cooked to perfection-very nicely seasoned and not over cooked. We will be back!!! read more

We came to vesta on a sunny spring evening and it did not disappoint! The patio has some serious space and was an incredible place to sit for a few hours, enjoy some great food and a couple drinks. To begin, the appetizers were excellent! Great selection and a chef who's thinking outside the box! We enjoyed the beef wellington bites and hummus trio. The wellington bites may be my new favorite appetizer! The hummus trio included one that contained truffle oil and seriously, I would bathe in this stuff if given the chance. It was straight up awesome. For dinner we had the buffalo chicken pizza, the portobello burger, the vesta burger and the island chicken burger between four of us and all were worth getting again. The pizzas here aren't flatbreads as most in the area have, but are true thin crust with some delicious baked in! The buffalo chicken had some zing and was solid. The vesta burger was the most impressive - topped with some legit onion straws that I had to steal more than once. Portobello burger was good, not great, little heavy on the goat cheese, but worth trying and the chicken was excellent. The dessert came next and there was some awesome going on. My wife and I had the huckleberry french toast with imperial stout ice cream - Fact - new flavors and great flavors! The french toast was sweet with some crunch and the stout ice cream was deep and a little bitter - it worked great with each other! Friends at the red velvet cake and in addition to a discussion about what "red velvet" flavor is, the cake was really good. Solid beer list with good draft choices and enough bottles to keep you guessing! Wine list is decent. The mixed drinks and specials were very nice - My wife had something we affectionately termed the "green mamba" - effectively white sangria with some lemon and lime. They're still figuring out that name, but whatever they call it - it's a great summer drink! Overall, this is a spot we'll be back to and somewhere we hope catches on. The bar was pretty hopin' as we were leaving and was a really nice space for meeting up. The service was great, the patio was FANTASTIC and the ambiance both inside and out are very nice. The water fountain nearby provides a perfect amount of back ground noise for the occasion and the lighting is excellent. Add a fire pit outside and a few more beers to choose from and this place becomes our go-to spot! Check this place out on a nice night with friends or your sweetie - you won't be disappointed. read more

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Really wanted the elk Ruben. They were out of it. Settled with the lamb burger and fries. Trendy sort of place. Well air conditioned. Refreshing iced H2o. Toe pull bathroom door opener. Brilliant. Great service. Nice choices on the menu. Locals say it's "different" food, but it seemed normal to me. Maybe the choices on the menu are different for the people of Iowa. The kitchen staff seemed to be chatting a lot, which I believe affected the speed of the order. My burger was on the heat lamp counter for quite a while before it was brought to me. Overall a nice business. I would visit again. You should try it. You'll be glad you did. read more

Vesta - New American Near Me - Coralville, Iowa

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Vesta just celebrated their 10th anniversary and I hope they have many more. The Vesta burger is one of my favorite burgers in town. Their cocktails are solid, and they have a nice big patio space. read more

We've consistently had really good food here. What I really wanted to comment on was the great service we received. I called regarding a private room for our party of 13 people, including elderly folks. The cost for the large private room was out of our range, but the person on the phone (the manager?) offered to make our reservation for their front room. He said that they would only seat others in there (at the few other tables in that room) if they absolutely had to. In the end, we had the room to ourselves and had attentive wait staff, at no extra charge. Honestly, our group was a little difficult, but they handled us courteously and graciously. Five star service from Vesta! read more

This place is awesome! Just finished the seafood avocado pasta with a glass of Malbec. Super tasty, delicious, fabulous! I've now tried about 10 places in Iowa City and this is the top. read more

Vesta - New American Near Me - Coralville, Iowa

Four of us enjoyed a perfect dining experience at Vesta tonight. What are the benchmarks? Server did not auction the food when delivered: she knew who had ordered each item. The food arrived hot and fresh without undue delay. The noise level is low so we could actually talk to one another!!! Specifics: prime rib ordered rare was perfectly roasted. The serving was ample and will be enjoyed again at home. The New York Strip was "tender as butter". A special Spicy shrimp appetizer was delicious and the shrimp were huge. Our friends loved the bread pudding for dessert, while we were wowed by the "Trio" of Creme Brûlée, chocolate peanut butter cake with marscapone ice cream and a small peach cobbler. Really a fine restaurant read more

I had a nice time at Vesta with a few friends a couple of weeks ago. We went on a Sunday evening, so it was quiet, but the overall vibe was relaxed and like a somewhat more modern sports bar. Our booth had a good view of the brick oven they use for their pizza, which was cool to be able to see. Although they say they are a Mediterranean-style restaurant with an American flare, most of their dishes seemed to be mostly American. However, their menu was a good size with plenty of good-looking unique options without being too overwhelming. I got the Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad with Salmon and really liked it! There was plenty of flavorful dressing without it being too much. Our waiter was friendly and patient with us and I overall had a nice time here! read more

Vesta - Kale & Brussel Sprout Salad with Salmon - New American Near Me - Coralville, Iowa

Nice patio with pretty lighting, plenty of seating. Good wine selection and fun specialty drinks! read more

Vesta - Cute patio for happy hour or sunset dinner. - New American Near Me - Coralville, Iowa

I love the ambiance here. I highly suggest starting out with ahi tuna crisp or beef wellington bites and pairing with with cava. I also have had the steak here and salmon both were great. The only thing we didn't care for is the humus . Otherwise great place. read more

Really enjoyed the food here at Vesta and would definitely come back again to try other things. I ordered the Ribeye steak sandwich with a side of Iowa Bacon Corn Chowder soup. The ribeye steak was delicious (though I wish it were bigger) and had kale and asparagus in it which matched really well. They used a horseradish aioli in it as well which topped it off. The only thing I've had really similar to this around the Coralville area is the prime rib sandwich for lunch at Longhorn's. To me, they are pretty similar (both having a horseradish sauce with it), but the ribeye steak at Vesta's wasn't as soft and juicy as the prime rib at Longhorns. Yes, they are different cuts, but I still wish the ribeye steak at Vesta was a little more tender. The Iowa Bacon Corn Chowder soup was unique, but a little too sweet for my taste. I'd probably try the Tomato Bisque soup next time. read more

Vesta - Ribeye Steak Sandwich and bacon corn chowder soup - New American Near Me - Coralville, Iowa